Program Manager – Miranda Cobb

Miranda grew up at a YMCA camp in the Rockies and can’t wait to be a part of the hosting team for Make.Do.Camp at Big Cove 2026! One of Miranda’s biggest passions is creating good containers and facilitation for meaningful conversation and embracing complexity in both work and life through collective engagement. She brings 20 years of facilitation experience and training in many different environments, including Art of Hosting and Deep Democracy. She has primarily worked in the non-profit sector on complex systems change projects with multi-sectoral partners on sticky issues like food security and affordable housing. She is skilled in innovative and rigorous developmental evaluation, supporting teams to understand the impacts of their work and become more effective through data-driven decisions and great storytelling. Miranda is driven to work with integrity for the common good, and contributes to positive and effective collaborations.

Operations Manager – Leigh Brown

Leigh first attended Make.Do.Camp. as a camper in its inaugural year and returned the following year to help bring the experience to life behind the scenes, as Production Manager.
A decade later, she’s excited to return as Operations Manager for a community that helped shape her own journey.

Known for her intuition, creativity, and ability to see both the big picture and the smallest details, Leigh is passionate about creating spaces where folks can feel safe to connect with themselves and each other. She believes that growth doesn’t always come from huge breakthroughs – it often comes from meaningful conversations, shared experiences, and a little room to breathe.

Leigh’s career has been a journey of many chapters; most recently transitioning from 8 years as Customer Relations Manager at Side Door into living her queer, neuro-spicy life as a Realtor in Halifax.

Her career spans food & beverage, government service, business ownership, events management, and interior design.

When she’s not helping make camp magic happen, you’ll likely find her tackling a home project, exploring a local trail with her dogs Lou & Fig, or enjoying live music with friends.

Leigh is thrilled to bring this next chapter of Make.Do.Camp. to life, and can’t wait to share it with both new and returning campers.  

Founder – Laura Simpson

Laura took a four month sabbatical from her life in 2015, living in California. It was then she attended the Unique Camp, founded by Sonja Rasula, and she found something magical about truly disconnecting for several days. With the blessing of Sonja, she adapted the camp concept for Nova Scotia and collaborated with Brave Space for the first two years (2016 and 2017) of Make.Do.Camp.

She also started an artist services company called The Syrup Factory and a live music booking and ticketing platform called Side Door. These ventures took over her time and so Make.Do.Camp. went dormant until 2026. After hearing the incredible stories of connections and projects that started with camp, she wanted to find a way to bring it back to life. She also earned her Art of Hosting certificate in 2026.

Make.Do.Camp. is a personal mission to create more connection with people from all walks of life, with nature and within our truest selves.

Support Team

Lindsay Murray

Lindsay is a nonprofit leader and ecosystem builder who has worked across a variety of incubators, accelerators, and membership-based associations. A natural connector and navigator, she brings generosity and curiosity to every interaction, making time for anyone who may benefit from her support or network. Her passion lies in community initiatives and relationship building, which can be seen throughout her work with organizations such as Startup Atlantic, Volta, Foresight Canada, and Redstone Agency (an association management company).

As a Certified Association Executive (CAE), Lindsay brings experience across management, senior leadership, and executive roles. She has expertise in governance, funding strategy, partnerships, and member engagement, and consistently prioritizes alignment and shared value among the people and organizations she works with.

Her career has not always followed a straight path; she has navigated unexpected challenges and opportunity-led career transitions that have contributed to her growth and success. She believes opportunities can come from even the messiest situations and isn’t afraid to lean on her community to help find them.

Bria Miller

Bria Miller (they/them/she/her) is a multidisciplinary artist, illustrator, graphic facilitator, self taught graphic designer, part time school garden mentor, and owner of small business Bria Makes Things. Bria was born & raised in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. They have been living and creating in Kjipuktuk (Halifax) since 2011. Bria was diagnosed with Idiopathic Intracranial Hypetension (IIH) this year, which is a neurological and migraine condition that greatly informs and impacts their life, work and art. it is an honour to return to this 2026 reiteration of Make Do Camp!